Starfleet uniform
Starfleet uniforms are the uniforms worn for the purpose of displaying membership in the Federation Starfleet (and the earlier Starfleet of Earth). These uniforms facilitate Starfleet wearers' needs as scientists and researchers, as well as adaptations for the sometimes military role, displaying rank insignia and position as a form of non-verbal communication of authority and purpose between personnel. Earth Starfleet wearing operations red.]] Throughout the 2140s and 2150s, Earth Starfleet uniforms consisted of a navy blue jumpsuit with decorations around the shoulder denoting division, coded by color. The breast carred rank insignia in the form of square pips. An assignment patch was located on the shoulder. Uniform caps were also issued for wear. Excursion jackets were issued, in a variety of colors and materials but maintaining the division color stripes and uniform patches. Excursion jumpsuits were also issued, in beige, with rank insignia attached at the collar. The divisions displayed the following color code: *gold – command division *red – operations division *blue – sciences division :This uniform style was first seen in ENT: "Broken Bow." 2250s-2264 wearing command gold.]] The Federation Starfleet uniforms worn throughout the 2250s until 2264 consisted of black trousers and a division color top, following the below color code. Women's uniform style had a larger open collar. The previous Earth Starfleet style of wearing a patch based on assignment continued, but the patch was moved to the chest. Rank was displayed by sleeve stripes. Work coveralls, with assignment patch embroidered on the breat, in all division colors were issued. There was a dress jacket, of division color edged with gold braid, with braided epaulets, that could be worn with a uniform hat. An excursion jacket, in gray, was also part of this issue. ''(TOS:"The Cage; "Where No Man Has Gone Before") Cadets wore a variation of the standard uniform with a black collar, made out af a reflective gray material. (TOS:"Shore Leave") *gold – command division *beige – operations division *blue – sciences division *gray - cadet :This uniform style was first seen in TOS: "The Cage." It was last seen in TOS: "Where No Man Has Gone Before." 2264-2270 Spock wearing sciences blue.]] In 2264, the uniforms were modified slightly, with a new black collar and replacing beige operations uniforms with red. Assignment patches were located on the chest and rank was indicated by sleeve stripes. Women's uniforms had an open collar that closed at their assignment patch, and there was an optional skirt uniform. There were variant wraparound tunics worn, in light green for the command division. These two uniforms had rank on the right shoulder, or on both sleeves, and displayed the assignment patch at the belt fastener. Everyday work jumpsuits were also worn, in all division colors, usually with no assignment or rank patches visible. A vest, seen in beige, was also in issue for excursions or technical personnel. These uniforms were worn until 2270. :''These uniforms first appeared in TOS:"The Corbomite Maneuver." Kirk's "captain's jacket" was light green, one variation (in "Charlie X") with captain's braid on one shoulder, another variation (TOS Season 2) with black trim and rank on the sleeves. No other officer was ever seen wearing this uniform. *gold – command division ** green - Variant command division wraparound *red – operations division ** beige - Some officers persisted wearing beige uniforms left over from the previous style, however at least two "modern" (black-collared) beige uniforms were seen in this era, suggesting a possible variant. *blue – sciences division *gray - cadet **''The gray cadet uniform was still in issue, seen again in the bar scene of TOS:"The Trouble with Tribbles."'' :This uniform style was last seen in TOS:"Turnabout Intruder." 2270 wearing various uniform colors.]] In the early 2270s, a new uniform design was introduced, with many different varieties. Most were gray, white, brown or beige, and came either in a one-piece jumpsuit or with matching pants and tops. These uniforms, like their predecessors, bore individual mission patches on the chest and rank insignia on the sleeve. A distinctive feature of all the uniforms of this period was that the shoes were sewn into the trousers. These uniforms indicated department by a colored circle behind the mission patch, according to this color code: *White – command division *Red – operations division, engineering and maintainance branches *Gold – operations division, helm, communications and navigation branches *Gray – operations division, security and services branches *Orange – sciences division, scientific research and technical branches *Green – sciences division, medical branch :''These uniforms were seen in Star Trek: The Motion Picture only. 2270s-2350s James T. Kirk wearing command white.]] Later in the 2270s, uniforms were radically changed. The new uniforms had black trousers and asymmetrical red tunics worn over a turtlenecked undershirt in division colors. Uniforms worn from this period to the mid-2350s used this color code: *White – command division *Gold – operations division, helm and engineering branches *Gray – operations division, communications and navigation branches; also sciences division, scientific research and technical branches *Dark Green – operations division, security branch *Light Green – sciences division, medical branch *Red – cadets, trainees and junior officers *Dark Blue – Marine Corps *Light Blue – special services Around this period, Starfleet abandoned the practice of using individual insignia for each mission or ship. From this point on, all Starfleet personnel wore the "arrowhead" insignia previously used by the crew of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701). The uniforms of this period bore the new Starfleet insignia on a brass-colored pin worn on the breast. New rank insignia, with individual symbols for each rank, were also introduced, and were worn on the clasp and left wrist of the tunics. By 2344, the distinctive ribbed turtlenecks were no longer worn under the red tunic. (TNG: "Yesterday's Enterprise", "Family"). :This uniform style was first seen in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan". Its earliest chronological appearance is on the crew of the USS Bozeman in TNG: "Cause and Effect", from 2278. Its latest chronological appearance is in the holographic message Jack Crusher recorded for his son Wesley in 2349. (TNG: "Family") 2350s-2366 Tasha Yar wearing operations gold.]] In the early 2350s, the uniforms underwent another radical redesign. They consisted of a tight-fitting jumpsuit, mostly of black, but with the chest area and shoulder piping in the appropriate division color: *Red – command division *Gold – operations division *Blue – sciences division The rank insignia was also simplified from differently shaped symbols, to smaller circular pips, either in gold or black (to signify partial rank). The communicator was now worn as a pin called the combadge on the breast of the uniform; at this time the combadge was in the shape of the Starfleet arrowhead, with an oval background. :This uniform style was first seen in TNG: "Encounter at Farpoint." Its earliest chronological appearance is in Beverly Crusher's memory of viewing her husband's body with Jean-Luc Picard in 2354. This uniform style was last seen in TNG: "Shades of Gray." 2366-2373 Jean-Luc Picard wearing command red.]] In 2366, the look of the uniform was modified slightly. The shoulder piping was removed, and the collar was raised. The jumpsuit was replaced with black trousers and a looser fitting top. The same division color codes were kept. This modification was introduced gradually, starting with senior officers. :''This modification was first seen in TNG: "Evolution", and was last seen in DS9: "Rapture". Starfleet cadets at this time wore black jumpsuits with a solid shoulder area in division colors. In place of rank insignia, the pips on a cadet's collar indicated his or her class at the Academy. (TNG: "Allegiance", "The First Duty") Starship captains were issued a variant "captain's jacket" in command red, with black shoulders; this was worn over a gray undershirt with black shoulders. Rank insignia were worn on the undershirt. :Picard's captain's jacket first appeared in TNG: "Ensign Ro". Miles O'Brien wearing operations gold.]] A new uniform jumpsuit variant was also introduced in or before 2369. This variant returned to the jumpsuit form, this time all in black, with only the shoulders in the division color. The collar was usually worn open, revealing a gray turtleneck shirt which held the rank insignia. The same division color codes were kept. This uniform variant was initially used on space stations and outposts (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, TNG: "Aquiel"), but was later used on starships, either replacing the previous uniform style (Star Trek: Voyager) or in conjunction with it (Star Trek: Generations). :The jumpsuit variant was first seen in DS9: "Emissary", and was used on that program until "The Ascent". ''Star Trek: Voyager used it throughout its run. In 2371, the shape of the combadge was altered. The new combadges had a slightly rounded rectangle instead of an oval behind the Starfleet arrowhead. 2373 onward Reginald Barclay wearing operations gold.]] In 2373 the uniforms were changed again, maintaining the same basic shape, but swapping the colors on the shoulders and the turtleneck. The shoulder area was now quilted with vertical stitches. The same division color codes were kept. :This uniform style was created for "Star Trek: First Contact", and was first seen on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine in the episode "Rapture". =Other Uniforms= Different uniforms were worn for circumstances other than general service. For example, dress uniforms were worn for diplomatic functions. The dress uniforms used from the 2350s to 2374 were long tunics in division colors, with black shoulder bands, worn over black trousers. In 2375, a new white dress uniform was introduced. Some officers wore alternate uniforms at times. Deanna Troi often wore casual clothing while on duty. Other officers such as Worf and Ro Laren, were allowed to wear accessories relating to their culture on their uniforms. =Notes and References= :The Starfleet uniforms worn during Star Trek: The Original Series were designed by William Ware Theiss, who returned to design the Star Trek: The Next Generation uniforms (which were further adapted into future versions on DS9, VGR and the TNG-era films by Robert Blackman). Robert Fletcher designed the uniforms seen throughout the movies, with later new designs provided by Nilo Rodis. *Ex Astris Scientia has detailed images and descriptions of Starfleet uniforms of various eras, mostly taken from the pages of Star Trek: The Magazine. *Spike's Star Trek Site also has extensive images and descriptions of Starfleet uniforms.